Full fashioned stocking and method of producing the same



Aug. 21, 1934. HEMMERICH FULL FASHIONED STOCKING AND* METHOD OF' PRODUCING THE, SAME' Filed Dec. l1, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l ILEL l IN V EN TOR:

A TTORNEY.

Aug 21, 1934- H. HEMMERICH 1,970,935

FULL FASHIONED STOCKING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SA-ME Filed Dec. 11l 1931 Sheets-Sheet 2 .-'w INVENTOR: jf U Patented Aug. 21, 1934 PATENT OFFICE FULL FAsmoNEDvsrocKrNG AND METHOD oF rRoDUcING THE SAME Hugo Hemmerich, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to Berkshire Knitting Mills, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 11, 1931, Serial No. 580,265

19 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved welt for either mens half hose o'r ladies full hose of the flat knit, full fashioned type.

An object of the present invention is to provide a welt structure that will have a lateral elasticity equaling or exceeding that of the commonly employed circular knit ribbed top and which will `have the general appearance of ribbed fabric.

Another object of the invention is to knit the improved welt on a single bank of needles in a flat full fashioned hosiery knitting machine as an integral part of the leg of the stocking in a knitting operation continuous with the knitting of the leg portion of the stocking, whereby the necessity for topping a separately formed ribbed top onto the single bank of needles of the flat knitting machine is eliminated.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel fabrics and articles, and method of producing the same, as hereinafter more particularly pointed lout in the claims.

The construction of the improved welt and the method of producing the simulated ribbed Welt and plain leg of the stocking in a continuous Aknitting operation on a at knitting machine will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l diagrammatically illustrates a womans full fashioned stocking embodying a simulated ribbed welt made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates, on an enlarged scale, the portion of the welt indicated by the dot-and-dash line W in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified preferred form of welt construction;

Fig. 4- diagrammatically illustrates the im.-

o proved welt in fiat form as it appears during the formation thereof;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is an exemplified stitch diagram illustrating the improved welt and the method by which the welt is produced.

In producing a welt in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the knitting of the welt is started in the usual manner common to the knitting of full fashioned hosiery, i. e. the hooks 1 of the welt bar (see Fig. 6) are inserted between the adjacent needles 2, after which the knitting thread is fed to the needles and the hooks (c1. (i6-173)v to form a primary course of stitches constituting the rst course 3 of the welt of the stocking. This primary course 3, as Shown in Fig. 6, and the next successive .course Scare usually of the type known as loose courses and are provided forvthe purpose of facilitating the subsequent transfer of the primary course on to the needles of the knitting machine in producing the turned welt of the stocking. These one or two loose courses are usually followed by several successive courses of stitches of regular uniform length.

In forming a welt according to the principles of the present invention, a predetermined number of courses 4, for example about ten courses, are formed and constitute a strip of plain fabric diagrammatically illustrated at Ain the drawings.

A transfer or lace bar, such as those commonly employed with at knitting machines, is then brought into action. As a matter of illustration the lace or transfer bar may be provided with a predetermined number of relatively spaced.I

transfer points of the usual type and arranged for engagement with every third needle 2a in the knitting machine.

The lace bar may be operated by the standard transfer mechanism of the knitting machine or by any suitable attachment' applied to the knitting machine. The lace bar which is nor- Inally suspended above the needles is caused to dip until the transfer points carried thereby engage the underlying needles 2a, the transfer points picking up the stitches from every third needle indicated at 2a, the bar subsequently rising, moving laterally to the extent of one needle and then dipping again until the transfer. points carrying the picked stitches come into operative engagement, with the underlying needles 2, whereupon the picked stitches are transferred to the said underlying needles 2 in the usual manner.

In producing the welt structure shown in Figs. 3 'and 6, the lace bar transfersthe stitches picked from the course 5'from the needles 2a on to the needles 2 lying to the left of the stripped needles 2a and in the next successive course 6 of the stitches :c1 are picked from the needles 2a and transferred to the needles 2 lying at the right side of the 'stripped needles 2a.

This transferring of the stitches alternately left and right is carried on during the knitting of a number of successively formed courses corresponding substantially to the number of courses required to produce a strip of fabric which is preferably of ay length substantially .equal f the -two plies of an ordinary turned welt.

.' After 'the last course 7 of the strip of welt fabric B has been formed and the first course 8 of the leg C of the, stocking has been produced and is still hanging on the needles 2 and 2a of the machine the -primary course-3 of the` Welt which is still held on the hooks 1 of the welt bar .are transferred from the said welt'bar hooks to .the needles 2 and 2a ofthe knittingmachine mediate needle's2a'overlying the said regular stitches :I:2 alternately on' opposite sides of the bars 10. The alternate left and right transferring of the stitches :1,` and :1:1 produces angularly disposed connecting threads :c3 extending across relatively open spaces 11, 11 lying between the knitted bars 10, 10.

' The alternating solid bars 10 and open spaces 11v with the diagonal connecting threads m3' produces `a maximum degree of lateral elasticity in the welt B of the stocking and also produces an effect in the welt B which simulates the appearance of ribbed fabric.

'I'he knitting of the upper leg portion C of the stocking is then carried on as a continuous knitting operation with the formation of the welt by producing successively a number of courses similar to the course 8 which is composed of regular stitches, the fabric being narrowed below the welt in the usual manner, as by transferring stitches inwardly along the opposite selvage edges of the blank or in any other suitable and well-known manner, The calf D, heel E, instep F, foot G and toe H are then formed and fashioned in any of the well-known manners common in the production of full fashioned hosiery. The welt fabric shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 is similar in construction to the welt fabric shown in Figs. 3-and 6, and is formed in substantially the same'manner as the fabric shown in Figs. 3 and 6, except that-.the stitches formed on the needles ,2a` are all transferred in but one direction, for example to the left, which produces diagonal connecting lines :r4 which extend in but one direction, whereas the connecting threads :1::i of the fabric shownf in..Figs. 3 and 6 extend alternately in oppositedirections in a zig-zag manner across the relatively open spaces 11 between the adjacent knitted bars 10, 10.

The turning of the welt B in the manner above noted throws the strip of plain fabric A to the inside of the stocking. This strip A of plain fabric servesfas'a reinforcement at'and adjacent the line I where the outer ply of the welt B is integrallyv connected to the upper leg portion C of the stocking.

While the knitted bars 10 have been described above as beingcomposed of but two wales of regular knitted stitches 3:2 and while the open spaces 11 between these bars 10 have been described as being composed of or equal to the `width of one ordinary wale it will .be obvious to one skilled inthe art that this relationship may be varied in accordance with the ultimate effect desired without departing from the essential features of the invention. It will also be obvious to one skilled in' the art that various forms of designs may be produced in the stocking leg, or

to thatv in the welt' without departing from the essential features ofthe invention, Vthe description above being confined to the production of fabric of the types noted -Without regard to any design that may be produced therein if desired.

In the appended claims, the welt is described as being composed of plain fabric as distinguishing from ribbed fabric, plain being the term applied by persons familiar with the knitting art to fabric knit on a single bank of needles as distinguishing from the term ribbed which is' applied to fabric produced on two banks of needles, in both circular or flat knitting; and the term stocking is employed in a generic sense and includes hosieryl in general.

'I'he folding of the Welt fabric B to form the turned welt produces a fancy edge b on the upper end of the stocking which somewhat resembles the well-known picot edge commonly employed in present day hosiery.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modied in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

1. A knitted stocking comprising a flat knit welt composed of plain fabric consisting of walewise bars alternating with walewise rows of relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of the welt, said bars connected by threads extending diagonally across said spaces, simulating ribbed fabric. 2. A knitted stocking comprising a flat knit welt composed of plain fabric consisting of walewise bars alternating with walewise rows of relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of the welt, said bars connected by threads extending diagonally in opposite directions across said spaces, simulating ribbed fabric.

3. A knitted stocking comprising a flat knit welt composed of plain fabric and including walewise bars consisting of a plurality of adjacently disposed uniform stitch wales, said knitted bars alternating with walewise rows of relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of the welt, simulating ribbed fabric, said rows of open spaces being composed ef wales of stitches transferred laterally' to stitches of adjacent wales that constitute said bars.

4.1A knitted stocking comprising a at knit welt having wales of transferred stitches occurring at predetermined intervals throughoutthe welt in a coursewise direction and extending substantially the entire length thereof in a walewise direction, said walesof transferred stitches interposed between and joining walewise bars composed of adjoining wales of other stitches, simulating ribbed fabric.

5. A knitted stocking comprising a flat knit welt having every third wale thereof throughout the welt composed of transferred stitches extending substantially the entire length of the welt,

Leccese that constitute said bars, and providing connecting threads extending diagonally across the spaces between the bars.

7. A knitted stocking comprising a at knit Welt composed of plain fabric and including walewise bars consisting of a plurality of adjacently disposed uniform stitch Wales, said knitted bars alternating with walewise rows of relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of the welt, simulating ribbed fabric, each row of open spaces being composed of a Wale of stitches transferred laterally'in opposite directions in successive courses respectively, to stitches of adjacent Wales that constitute said bars. v

8. A knitted stocking comprising a flat knit welt having Wales of transferred stitches occurring at predetermined intervals throughout the welt in a coursewise direction and extending substantially the entire length thereof in a walewise direction, but terminating at the upper end of the leg part of the stocking, said wales of transferred stitches interposed between and joining walewise bars composed of adjoining wales of other stitches, simulating ribbed fabric.

9. A knitted stocking comprising a fiat knit welt and a leg portion constituting a continuation thereof, said weltv having an inner wall and an outer wall, one of said walls composed of plain fabric consisting of Wale-wise bars alternating with walewise rows of relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of said one of the walls, simulating ribbed fabric, said b ars connected by threads extending diagonally across said open spaces.

10. A knitted stocking comprising a flat knit turned welt and a leg portion constituting a continuation thereof, said Welt having its inner and outer walls composed of plain. fabric consisting of walewise bars alternating with walewise rows of relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of the welt, simulating ribbed fabric, said bars connected by threads extending diagonally across said open spaces.

11. A knitted stocking comprising a ,flat knit turned welt and a leg portion constituting a continuation thereof, said welt having its inner and outer walls composed of plain fabric consisting 'turned welt secured along one of its edges to said leg and composed of plain-knitted walewise bars alternating with relatively open spaces extending substantially the length of the outer wall of the welt and simulating ribbed fabric, .and a strip of ordinary plain fabric on one edge of the turned welt and secured. to the opposite edge of the turned welt along the line of juncture between the last said edge of said welt and said leg.

13. A flat ribbed top for hosiery .comprising walewise rows of grouped stitches separated by rows of transferred stitches extending substantially the length of the welt and simulating ribbed fabric, and picots formed in the several groups With spaces corresponding to the transferred stitches. s,

14. A flat ribbed top for hosiery characterized by walewise rows of grouped stitches, each group separated by a row of transferred stitches providing a space between groups, said rows extending substantially the length of the welt and simulating ribbed fabric and picots formed in the fabric with breaks corresponding to the transferred stitchesl.

l5. The process of knitting a selvaged stocking blank, Which"-vxcomprises knitting successivecourses of stitches on asingle bank of needles and laterally transferring corresponding relatively spaced 'stitches in each of a predetermined number of the successively knit courses in such manner as to-formywalewisebars alternating with relatively open spaces simulating ribbed fabric.

16. The process of knitting a selvaged stocking blank, which comprises knitting successive courses of stitches on a single bank of needles and laterally transferring corresponding relatively spaced stitches in each of a predetermined number of the successively knit courses, thereby forming walewise bars alternating with relatively open spaces simulating ribbed fabric, the said lateral transferring of stitches being effected in opposite directions in alternate courses.

17. The process of knitting a selvaged stock ing blank, which comprises knitting a primary course of stitches on a single bank of needles, knitting a predetermined number of courses of regular stitches as a` continuous knitting operation following the knitting of the primary course 105 and laterally transferring corresponding stitches in each of the said predetermined number of courses to provide walewise bars alternating with relatively open spaces simulating ribbed fabric. transferring the-primary course of stitches back onto the needles to form a turned welt, anticontinuing the knitting of successive courses of regular stitches to produce the leg of the stock- A ing integrally with the turned welt.

18. The process of knitting a selvaged stocking blank which comprises the continuous knitting, on a single bank of needles, of a plurality of primary courses of regular stitches, followed by the knitting of a. predetermined number of courses of regular stitches and laterally transferringA corresponding stitches in each of 'this predetermined number of courses to form walewise bars alternating with relatively open spaces simulating ribbed fabric, folding the fabric thus produced andtransferring one of the primary `courses of stitches onto the needles to form .n turned welt, and continuing the knitting of successive courses of regular stitches to form the leg of the stocking as an integral part'of the turned Welt.

19. The process of knitting a full fashioned stocking which comprises the continuous knitting,

on a single bank of needles, of a plurality of primary courses of regular stitches, followed by the knitting of a predetermined number of courses of regular stitches and laterally transferring corresponding stitches in each of this predetermined number ofcourses to form walewise bars alternating with relatively open spaces' simulating ribbed fabric, foldingthe fabric thus produced K along one of the courses including the laterally transferred stitches and transferring one of the primary courses of stitches onto the needles to form a turned-welt With a fancy edge along the line of turning, and continuing the knitting of successive courses of regular stitches to formV the leg ofthe stocking as anintegral part of the turned welt. A

HUGO IIEMMERICH.' 

